Special Exhibition “Visual Media Through the Eyes of Digital Natives”

The New Forms of Video: Seen and Created by Digital Natives

Vertical Theater and 5 Exhibitions: A New Shape for Visuals

What future do video contents in a time of transformation reflect?

The emergence of AI that generates video has profoundly impacted the video production industry. The use of AI in film and television production is expected to accelerate further, foreshadowing significant changes. Viewing environments are also diversifying, with smartphones and XRs (Extended Reality) becoming more prevalent, and these shifts are beginning to heavily influence the nature of video content.

This exhibition introduces various new forms of video, as seen by the digital natives at the heart of these changes surrounding video.

Vertical Cinema: Born from the spread of social media and short-form video culture.
VR Technology: Breaking the boundaries with reality through 360° immersion.
Image Generation AI: Instantly creating everything from realistic images to anime.

When digital natives view and become creators of these cutting-edge visuals, they will produce forms of video unimaginable today. We hope this exhibition allows you to contemplate such a future.

＜Exhibition 1＞ The Form of VR Documentary

This exhibit showcases documentary video works that leverage VR (Virtual Reality) technology. By wearing a VR headset and immersing yourself in a 360-degree visual space, the act of watching a recorded event is elevated to experiencing the event itself.

This powerful form of expression appeals directly to the viewer’s physical senses, holding the potential to bring unprecedented realism and a sense of direct involvement to traditional documentaries. When we “feel” information rather than just “see” it, it could fundamentally alter how we remember and understand the world around us.

Experience the Former Shibusawa Residence “Nakanchi” in VR

Step into the world of Eiichi Shibusawa, often called the “Father of Modern Japanese Economics,” a proud Japanese industrialist, and the face of the new 10,000 yen banknote. This great local figure was born right here in Saitama Prefecture.
NTT East has crafted an immersive VR experience of Shibusawa’s birthplace, the Former Shibusawa Residence “Nakanchi” in Fukaya City. They achieved this by meticulously capturing the interior of the house and digitally converting its structures into 3D models.
At this exhibit, simply by putting on VR goggles, you can experience being inside the actual residence located in Fukaya City. You can also explore a 3D video experience via a touch panel display.

Planned & Produced by: NTT East
Filmed by: NTT East
VR Content Created by: NTT East
In Cooperation with: Fukaya City

Reaching Out to the Deep Sea with VR

The ocean covers about 70% of Earth, and of that, 93% is deep sea, with much of it remaining unexplored by humanity.

This work is a video experience that allows you to feel as if you’ve descended directly into this extreme deep-sea world through 360-degree footage. It vividly depicts the harsh environment of darkness, low temperatures, and high pressure, showcasing hydrothermal vents, diverse deep-sea creatures, and the pitch-black seafloor. This immersive experience provides a wide-field view of the deep sea, a perspective even the pilots of the “Shinkai 6500” have never seen.

This work was honored with a Special Award in the VR category at the Advanced Imaging Society Lumiere Japan Awards 2019 and an Excellence Award in the Education/Culture division at the 61st Japan Science Film Festival.

Produced & Copyrighted by: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
Supervised by: Tsuyoshi Yoshiume, Shinsuke Kawaguchi, CHEN Chong
Filming Cooperation: National Museum of Nature and Science
Video Production Producers: Katsutoshi Machiba, Jun Tamaki
Video Production Director: Yuta Naito
(c)JAMSTEC / Filming Cooperation: National Museum of Nature and Science

＜Exhibition 2＞ The Form of XR Films

This exhibit presents works from the XR film festival, “Beyond the Frame Festival,” in an interactive and experiential format. You can immerse yourself in the forefront of visual expression that unfolds “beyond the screen,” experiencing it through your own body and senses.

We invite you to not just “watch” but to “immerse and participate” in the new forms of storytelling created by diverse technologies like VR and interactive media. Through this, we hope you will realize the potential for new visual experiences that transcend traditional cinema.

The Beyond the Frame Festival is Japan’s first XR (Extended Reality) film festival, an international film festival dedicated to visual works that utilize cutting-edge technologies such as VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), and MR (Mixed Reality). It covers diverse genres including film, art, documentary, and interactive works, and has garnered attention as a platform for exploring new possibilities in narrative experience.

In its latest edition, the festival received a record-breaking 142 submissions from around the world. As a festival symbolizing the evolution of expression and technology in the XR field, it continues to attract strong interest from creators and audiences both domestically and internationally.

Oto’s Planet (2024 / Luxembourg, Canada, France / 28 min)

“Oto’s Planet” follows the peaceful life of Oto, who loves nothing more than relaxing in his hammock, enjoying the fruit of a single tree on his tiny planet. His tranquility is abruptly shattered when Exo, a lively and unwieldy astronaut, crash-lands in a small spaceship.

Artist / Director: Gwenaël François
Production: Le Fresnoy – National Studio of Contemporary Arts
Sound Design: François Wunschel
Music: Jacopo Andreini
3D Modeling: Marie Pacaux
Animation Support: Thibaut Glaize
VR Development: Aurélien Gendras
Voice Cast: Noémie Pastre
(c)SKILL LAB

Van Gogh’s Palette -Short Version- (2023 / France / 10 min)

“Van Gogh’s Palette” is an immersive art experience set in Dr. Gachet’s house in Auvers-sur-Oise, France, where Van Gogh spent his final years. Through animation and interactive direction, the work explores four of Van Gogh’s representative masterpieces painted in this very location.

Directors: Gordon & Agnès Moriau
Production: Lucid Realities, Tournez S’il Vous Plaît, VIVE Arts, Musée d’Orsay
Voice Cast: Rebecca Marder

Beat (2020 / Japan / 12 min)

“Beat” is a work where users breathe life into the story by sharing their own heartbeat with the protagonist robot. Viewers can immerse themselves in the robot’s emotional conflicts and growth, enjoying the narrative as they project themselves onto the robot to whom they have given their heartbeat.

Director: Keisuke Ito (VR & 3DCG Artist)
Producers: Katsutoshi Machiba / Hiroko Fujioka
Assistant Producer: Tetsuya Ohashi
Music: Yui Morishita (Pianist)
Technical Support: Yutaka Hashimoto
Heartbeat Sensation Technology Provider: Hideyuki Ando
(C) WOWOW×CinemaLeap

＜Exhibition 3＞ The Form of AI Video

Introducing an original AI content experience developed by Pyramid Film Quadra.

At this exhibition, we’re showcasing unique interactive content that leverages generative AI technologies like ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion, and StreamDiffusion. You can get hands-on with these innovative experiences, where AI-generated visuals meet creative ideas. Come discover for yourself how AI expands creativity and shapes the evolving future of digital expression.

AI Reincarnation Business Card Battle! Yoroshiku Deathmatch!（2024）

Your face and business card—the weapons of a business person… This is an AI-powered entertainment content where AI transforms you into a character using only this information, instantly turning you into a trading card!

Each character is assigned one of the following attributes based on your business card and facial information:

Fire: Leadership
Water: Creativity
Earth: Strategy
Lightning: Technical
Grass: Communication

You can then enjoy card battles between characters using these attributes. The rallying cry is… “Ready, set, go! YORO-DEATH!”

Cinemato Club（2025）

Cinemato Club is an innovative content experience where participants intuitively build three-dimensional objects (like blocks), and AI then transforms these creations into movie-like sets and worlds.

The AI converts your physical creations into a chosen world in real-time, sparking ingenuity and creativity to help you produce a truly unique, one-of-a-kind piece. Ultimately, the AI-generated world is given a title and story, allowing you to get your very own movie poster on a postcard to take home.

Producers: Kosuke Hayashi, Reiko Morotomi
Creative Directors: Gin Hama, Yohei Ukai
Engineer: Ayano Takahashi
Designer: Ryosuke Kon

＜Exhibition 4＞ The Form of 8K Video Equipment

VENICE 2

The VENICE 2 is a full-frame cinema camera designed for professionals who pursue cinematic filmmaking and high-quality visual expression. It is equipped with an 8K or 6K high-resolution sensor, delivering a wide dynamic range and superior color reproduction. It also supports various recording formats such as X-OCN and ProRes, enabling flexible workflows. Despite its lightweight and compact design, it boasts robustness to withstand demanding production environments, earning high acclaim on film sets worldwide.

Available in two models: 8K and 6K. The Saitama Visual Plaza has introduced the 8K model.
Interchangeable sensor block.
Achieves internal X-OCN recording, resulting in a compact body. Also supports 4K ProRes recording.
Realizes wide latitude of 16 stops (8K model) / 15+ stops (6K model) and low noise.
Dual Base ISO.
Wide color gamut exceeding BT.2020.
Supports high frame rate shooting.
Built-in 8-position optical ND filter.
Improved operability based on the VENICE’s design and UI.
VENICE 2 Camera Simulator.
Modular structure.
Supports PL and E-mount lenses.
Camera head extension system for diverse operational needs.
High durability.
Full HD (1920×1080) OLED viewfinder.
Paint control via RM/RCP.
Ethernet / WiFi control.
Recording formats: X-OCN / 4K ProRes.
Compatible with the Unreal Engine Plugin “Camera and Display Plugin.”

＜Exhibition 5＞ Fun for Kids! The Latest Forms of Video

“Virtual Puppet,” an interactive video content for families that leverages AR (Augmented Reality) technology, produced by NHK. Through a video device, you can enjoy a highly realistic experience where characters appear to emerge within your real-world space.

In an era where the form of video is undergoing significant transformation, we invite you and your children to experience this new kind of media together, a perfect fit for the times.

Virtual Puppets: “Tenohira Cupolan” & “Tenohira Digital-kun“

These virtual videos are designed for easy enjoyment by children at events and similar occasions.

When you hold a paper card with a printed marker in your hand and point a camera at it, a 3D model of a character is composited onto the card on the screen, and accompanying audio is played.

These virtual puppets have been utilized at events for NHK’s popular children’s program, “Okaasan to Issho” (With Mother).

＜Screening＞ Vertical Film Theater

Vertical Film Theater at SKIP City

A dedicated vertical film theater has been installed at SKIP City. Visitors can enjoy an unprecedented vertical film viewing experience, as if simultaneously watching one giant smartphone. The theater will screen works from PICORE Co., Ltd., helmed by director Shinichiro Ueda, as well as TikTok TOHO Film Festival award-winning works, and films from “Coneko Film,” a top runner in vertical cinema. Talk events related to vertical films will also be held.

Shinichiro Ueda Works (PICORE Films)

Rental Subordinate
Description of the Dead
Subscribe to her
Changjiang City Convenience Store Incident

TikTok TOHO Film Festival Award-Winning Works

human wonderland (TikTok TOHO Film Festival 2024 Grand Prix Winner)
Mob-Life (TikTok TOHO Film Festival 2024 Runner-up Grand Prix Winner)
Lighthouse Keeper and the Lost Ghost (TikTok TOHO Film Festival 2024 Animation/CG Award Winner)
Zetsumetsu Meshi (TikTok TOHO Film Festival 2024 Special Award Winner)
SIDE STEP GIRL (TikTok TOHO Film Festival 2023 Grand Prix and Audience Award Winner)

CONECO FILM Works

Mr. Shameless vs Ms. Shameless
Kaniba
Be Yourself
Age Verification
Age Verification vs Pride
Brand

Yorimichi Drama Works (Musashino Art University, Department of Imaging Arts and Sciences)

School Rules War
Confession Prevention Strategy
Cultural Festival Meeting by MBTI Type

For more details, please refer to the Vertical Film section.